30 Oct 2014

MY START INTO MODERN LIFE WITH A XEROX

There is not a lot of choice to find an English word starting with X ! Letters yes, like XL, or X-rays. But suddenly I remembered my first start into the modern world with a Xerox word processor !

In 1990 had changed my job and worked in a Financial Company. My Boss always needed to have the last inventions so he had equipped the secretaries with a Xerox word processor ! I had never seen such a thing, but I had to learn to use it for my translations.

I think it must have looked like this
Therefore he sent me to the Xerox company for 3 days to learn how to use this thing ! It was awful. I couldn't get into my mind that there were icons in which I had to put my text. And of course the worst thing was learning to use a mouse.

My mouse had its own will and never went there where I wanted it to be. The arrow always was in corners or at the end or on the top of the screen. My eyes popped out to find it ! I suffered like a martyr !

One day my mouse didn't work at all anymore ! No arrow on the whole screen ! If it would have been possible I would have thrown the mouse against a wall, but it was attached, wireless mice didn't exist yet. And suddenly I realized why the mouse didn't work ! Instead of holding the mouse in my hand and move it around, I had grabbed my cigarettes ! Of course it didn't work. At that time everybody smoked everywhere and you were even considered as an outsider when you didn't smoke. Times have change, now we have to live healthy. Anyway after the 3 days of intensive learning, they send me back to the office where I had to exercise ! I have to admit that I wasn't very talented and my colleagues had to help me out quite often. And now I handle a computer better than my washing machine !

A friend bought a used computer from a shop in about 1990 and was enthralled by it. What does the green writing on the black background do, I asked? He couldn't really say. I expect it was running DOS.

This made me laugh and brought back memories. I started out working with a typewriter (not even an electric one) and mimeography machine (I remember when we thought the Xerox copy machine was a miracle). And then later everybody -- bosses, administrators, staff, everybody-- had to become experts on computers whether we wanted to or not. A few of the secretaries in our office quit rather than learn, the poor things.

Can't imagine being without one now, but at the time I didn't ever imagine that everybody would have their own in their own homes!!!

Hi GattinaWow, I'm impressed at the thought of your washing machine lol This is a great X post and you did well to find a suitable photo, as well!I think we should all give ourselves a huge pat on the back for being able to master the technology of everything these days - I need another degree to operate the TV remote!!!Wren x

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About Me

I love painting, writing, travelling and photography. My favorit models are my four cats which I observe with fun and humor. I am German, married to an Italian and we live in Waterloo (15 km from Brussels) / Belgium since many years. Waterloo is a famous place to many tourists, because Napoleon lost his battle here against Wellington and other European countries.